“Senior, do you know what it is?” Beside him, one of the elders asked, his tone deeply respectful.

This alone spoke to how transcendent the Ji Family stone garden guardian’s status was — even some of the old masters present regarded themselves as juniors before him.

He was tall and imposing, with silver hair cascading like a waterfall, and skin white as jade. One glance at him was enough to tell he cultivated some remarkable art.

“This golden small creature…” He furrowed his brow, apparently not entirely certain.

Everyone listened in attentive silence. Remarkably, even the golden small spirit was listening, tilting its head toward the elder with curious attention.

The silver-haired elder observed carefully, then nodded. “This should be a type of divine silkworm from the primordial age.”

The moment those words left his mouth, jaws dropped all around. How could this possibly be a silkworm? It looked so much like a true dragon — and yet it was being called a worm.

The golden small creature blinked its large eyes. It seemed confused and showed no sign of recognizing itself in the elder’s description.

Everyone was baffled and full of questions. However, they all understood that this elder’s status was extraordinary — he would not speak carelessly.

“However you look at it, it resembles a young dragon — it has no connection whatsoever to a silkworm,” someone muttered softly.

The silver-haired elder said, “In truth, it could also be called a beast. But in former times, a certain Source Heavenly Master referred to creatures of this kind as ‘divine silkworms,’ and the name has been passed down that way ever since.”

“What is the reason for that?” Everyone was even more puzzled, and someone asked.

“According to what that Source Heavenly Master said, its first form is a divine silkworm — the character ‘divine’ placed before ‘silkworm’ because it is so extraordinary it can be called a divine insect.”

The silver-haired elder spoke unhurriedly. No one interrupted. The golden small spirit was being perfectly well-behaved, listening attentively.

This creature’s origins were highly unusual. It could evolve continuously. Its first form was indeed a silkworm — entirely golden and crystalline, feeding on source material, its lifespan unknown.

It was said that after its first molting transformation, it left the category of silkworm entirely and became a small golden serpent.

Throughout its life, it could experience at most nine transformations. Each one was a rebirth — equivalent to a nirvana — and with every transformation, its power would surge dramatically.

However, under ordinary circumstances, completing even one or two transformations was considered remarkable. The conditions for each transformation were extremely demanding.

“What would the Divine Silkworm become after nine transformations?” someone asked.

The silver-haired elder said, “It would become an existence of unimaginable power — one that, even in the primordial age, would have been enough to roam freely across heaven and the underworld.”

“A divine insect could evolve to that level?!” Many people were barely willing to believe it.

“It truly can.” The silver-haired elder nodded.

These secrets had come from a Source Heavenly Master of former times who had traveled through mountains and ancient veins, excavating countless great ore veins, and whose knowledge of primordial creatures was the most authoritative of anyone.

Even so, the silver-haired elder only knew parts of it — he could not explain everything in detail. After all, the ages were too distant. The dust of time had buried history. The truth had receded further and further away, and it was now very difficult to uncover.

“Under ordinary circumstances, this divine creature can only transform one or two times. But if it truly completed all nine transformations, could it actually become… a true dragon?”

At this conjecture, everyone turned to look at the small spirit resting on the little white-robed nun’s shoulder with astonished expressions.

The creature was radiant with golden light from head to tail, genuinely resembling a young dragon. Its large eyes were full of innocent bewilderment, as if to say: please don’t all stare at me.

The silver-haired elder shook his head. “What it might ultimately transform into, no one can say.”

In former times, a Source Heavenly Master had once said that the Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations were simply beyond prediction — no one could determine what it would ultimately become.

He had speculated that among the primordial races’ humanoid kings, certain rare individuals might actually have been creatures of this kind that had transformed over countless ages.

Of course, there was no evidence for any of this — all of it was conjecture.

But Source Heavenly Masters had the most authority when it came to primordial races, because they encountered such things far more than ordinary people. From beneath the earth and within ancient ore veins, they had discovered many secrets that most people could never hope to learn.

Having come to understand all of this, the cultivators present were without exception astonished, their gazes fixing on the small golden creature — all of them revealing expressions of awe. If this small thing could truly complete nine transformations, it would become a supreme existence!

“How many transformations has it undergone?” someone finally raised this question.

“It should be only two.” The silver-haired elder said.

Yet everyone was still confused — for the small spirit seemed utterly at a loss, apparently unaware of any of this, showing no recognition of what the elder was describing.

“It seems like a blank slate, pure and simple — as though it truly doesn’t know anything about its own identity.”

“Indeed — it looks completely confused no matter how you observe it. It doesn’t seem to know anything.”

The silver-haired elder shook his head and said, “Each of its transformations is a new birth. Not only does its body change, but its memories are wiped clean as well. It starts fresh.”

“That’s extraordinary — the Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations would mean experiencing nine lifetimes?!” Even some of the old masters were shaken.

“How else would it become an existence that roams freely across heaven and the underworld?” the silver-haired elder said.

Someone fell into thought and said, “I’m reminded of an ancient scripture from the Eastern Desolation, long since lost, that sounds very similar to this Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations.”

“In former times, there was the Indestructible Heavenly Art — within a dying, withered body, a divine embryo would form and be reborn through total destruction.”

Today, Ye Fan had cut out a creature of this nature — a living primordial being emerging into the world. The astonishment it caused was immense, and many present felt both deep admiration and burning envy.

“Though it is a primordial creature, it isn’t necessarily more precious than Tuoba Chang’s Divine Source!” Wu Ziming suddenly spoke.

“Exactly — it’s virtually impossible for it to undergo further transformations. Under normal circumstances, one or two evolutionary stages is already the limit. How could it possibly compare to a divine object worth five hundred thousand jin of pure source stones?” Li Chongtian echoed.

They were afraid of losing again. They were unwilling to accept defeat and hand over the tens of thousands of jin of source stones.

“Setting aside entirely whether it can achieve the Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations — the mere fact that it possesses spiritual intelligence already places it above Divine Source.” The silver-haired elder said.

“It has spiritual intelligence?” The crowd revealed expressions of confusion and asked again.

“Because it can produce Divine Source.” The silver-haired elder explained.

Ten thousand years ago, a Source Heavenly Master had once said: setting aside entirely whether it could evolve into a supreme existence, the value of a single divine silkworm was at minimum above six hundred thousand jin of source stones.

This kind of creature fed on source material and could produce divine silk, spinning it into a divine silkworm cocoon — the purest form of Divine Source in existence.

“Heavens — is that truly possible?”

Everyone was stunned. This small spirit could generate Divine Source. The revelation left the crowd utterly thunderstruck.

Immediately, the group of old masters — along with countless others present — stared at the small spirit, their eyes ablaze with barely contained desire. The creature was small and golden, resembling a true dragon in miniature, yet perched on the shoulder of the little white-robed nun with its tiny claw clutching a strand of her hair, pressing nervously close against her.

“Young friend Gufeng — name your price. I must have this small spirit!”

“I will spare no cost — I must purchase it!”

…

A group of people surrounded Ye Fan. He couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Everyone was intensely eager.

“Senior, how much source must it consume to produce a divine silkworm cocoon?” Ye Fan asked the silver-haired elder, using the question to redirect the attention of the many cultivators pressing in around him.

“A great deal — the returns would not justify the cost…”

For a small creature that had undergone only one transformation, if it consumed one million jin of pure source stones, producing a divine silkworm cocoon worth ten thousand jin of pure source stones would be considered a good result.

“This… is simply too extravagant!” Everyone was floored.

“A divine silkworm that has undergone two or more transformations has a considerably higher conversion rate.”

Many people’s enthusiasm dampened. This little thing was impossible to sustain — it was like an insatiable devourer. Keeping it would be ruinous.

Of course, this only applied to ordinary sects. The representatives of the Sacred Grounds, however, were moved. Divine Source held a special significance and value. The most elite forces coveted it desperately.

If it were possible, in certain circumstances, they were willing to expend endless quantities of pure source stones to convert them into Divine Source — even at an extremely wasteful rate.

The silver-haired elder said, “Ten thousand years ago, Jade Pool Sacred Ground had a divine silkworm — it was a gift from a Source Heavenly Master. Everything I know about this subject, I learned from Jade Pool.”

Many present revealed strange expressions. Ten thousand years ago, that extraordinary figure had come to the Sacred City and bet against every one of the Sacred Grounds until all of them were green in the face — yet none of them could do anything about it. All arts converge on the same path: when source-reading ability reaches its apex and approaches the Dao, one can acquire the ability to overturn heaven and earth. That person’s strength had been unfathomably deep.

“Did Jade Pool’s divine silkworm ultimately transform into a supreme existence?”

The silver-haired elder shook his head. “Almost certainly not. Each transformation requires extremely demanding conditions. Even in the primordial age it was difficult to succeed, let alone now.”

“Little one, it was I who rescued you. Come here quickly — I’ll give you source to eat.” Ye Fan smiled, producing a large piece of pure source stone and waving it toward the golden small creature in a beckoning gesture, trying to draw it down so he could catch it.

But the small spirit, resembling a true dragon in miniature, puffed up indignantly. It turned its head pointedly away and gave him the cold shoulder.

“Quite a temper you’ve got, for someone who just ate my Divine Source — worth ten thousand jin.” Ye Fan said with a smile.

“You snatched little Guai’s Divine Source away — of course it’s going to be upset. That belonged to it.” The little white-robed nun muttered under her breath.

In the brief time that had passed, she had already given the golden small creature a name. And the little thing appeared to accept it. It extended one tiny claw, palm upturned, as if demanding the return of that Divine Source — staring straight at Ye Fan.

Ye Fan tried to intimidate it. “Little one, you were freed by me. From now on you’ll be following me around. Stop asking for Divine Source. If you won’t behave, I’ll sell you.”

“Oh wonderful — I want to buy little Guai!” The little white-robed nun lit up with delight.

The golden small spirit clenched one tiny fist and shook it silently at Ye Fan, then looked toward the Great Xia Princess. It blinked its large eyes — gleaming and crystalline.

Ye Fan felt a headache coming on. What in the world was he going to do with this tiny creature?

It seemed he couldn’t hold onto it. Numerous great forces — representatives from every Sacred Ground included — were transmitting to him privately, all of them wanting to purchase the golden small spirit.

Every one of these great forces was beyond his ability to offend. And this little creature, on first glance, was clearly a reckless squanderer — half a head’s worth of Divine Source hadn’t even been enough to satisfy a single bite.

“Should I truly sell it? But if it someday achieves the Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations…”

Ye Fan shook his head and made no decision. He walked toward Tuoba Chang. The time had come to collect his winnings.

Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian were standing nearby. When they saw Ye Fan approaching, their faces went white immediately — they had just lost another considerable sum of source stones.

Beside them, the Honored Elder of the Illusion Destruction Palace, Li Yishui, felt a wave of vertigo coming over him. Not long ago, he had tumbled into a massive pit. Now he still had to hand over eighty thousand more jin of source stones — it was like a cudgel swinging down and hitting him in the head. He genuinely felt on the verge of coughing blood.

Ye Fan paid them no attention. The most pressing matter at hand was to claim that human-head-sized Divine Source. It hovered quietly in midair — tucked within its stone skin, yet still shooting out dozens of divine beams — extraordinarily resplendent.

Tuoba Chang was deeply unwilling. But there was nothing he could do. He could only watch helplessly as Ye Fan held the Divine Source in his palm.

“Little one, I’ve got a piece of Divine Source this big right here. Would you like some?” Ye Fan tempted the golden small spirit from a distance.

Whoosh!

Sure enough, a streak of golden light came shooting over, so fast that no one in the vicinity could react. Fortunately, Ye Fan had been prepared. He immediately tucked the Divine Source away — then spun his hand around and reached to grab it.

Whoosh!

Another flash of gold — and the small creature had already returned to the little white-robed nun’s shoulder, pouting and glaring at Ye Fan.

“The Divine Silkworm’s nine transformations — an ancient legend. Could it truly be coming to pass?” Without anyone noticing when he had arrived, the Crimson Dragon Daoist appeared within the stone garden. His pupils had contracted to sharp points as he stared intently at the golden small spirit.

At the same time, Li Heishui transmitted privately to Ye Fan: it appeared that one of the unusual stones had shifted position.